Cage, who plays John McLoughlin in the cinematic recreation of the September 11, 1991 attack on the United States, entitled World Trade Center, was given a special gift. McLoughlin himself, a Port Authority Police officer, and surviving hero, presented Cage with a memento at the film’s premiere.
The gift was a cross made from the steel from the fallen buildings. McLoughlin was touched by Cage’s performance in the film, and Cage was moved by the experience of playing a real-life hero on the silver screen.